A Day In The Life Of The President

A Day In The Life Of The President The President’s Roles Chief Executive: Responsible for enforcing the laws of the United States as well as being in charge of thousands of government workers within the Executive Department Commander-In-Chief: In charge of all branches of the military and creates defense policy Chief Diplomat: Establishes foreign policy and appoints diplomats Chief of State: Ceremonial leader and living symbol of the United States Chief of Party: Leader of his/her political party Chief Legislator: Makes recommendations for Congress regarding bills as well as vetoing bills Chief Economist: Create a prosperous American economy and manage the federal budget Chief Judiciary: Appoints judges, grants pardons, amnesty, and reprieves The President’s Schedule Write in the blank provided the role(s) of the President in each of the following scenarios A.M. 6:30 Awakened by a staff member, the President listens to a brief report on events that occurred during the night. _ Chief Executive______________________________________________ 7:00 Meets with the Chief of Staff to review the day’s schedule __ Chief Executive__________________________________________________ 7:30 Meets with Congressional leaders for breakfast and discusses a major tax bill ___ Chief Legislator______________________________________________ 8:00 Meets with National Security Advisors who explain the latest intelligence report on troop strength overseas ____ Commander-In-Chief___________________________________________ 8:20 Meets with the Press Secretary in the Oval Office to review questions that will probably be asked at an evening press conference _____ Chief Executive______________________________________ 9:00 Meets with a staff member to review important bills to be considered in the House and Senate ____ Chief Legislator______________________________________________ 9:40 Confers with an advisor about procedures to improve the handling of the 70,000 letters received each week at the White House ____ Chief Executive_____________________________________________ 10:00 Addresses a group of award-winning high school students in the Rose Garden _____ Chief of State_____________________________________________ 10:40 Meets with the Secretaries of State and Defense to discuss strategy for upcoming conference with European heads of state _____ Chief Diplomat_____________________________________________ 11:15 Agrees to grant a pardon to an American official wrongfully accused of spying ____ Chief Judiciary_______________________________________________ 11:30 Meets with political leaders to discuss plans for an upcoming campaign tour _____ Chief of Party_____________________________________________ P.M. 12:00 Writes a message stating various reasons for vetoing a bill _____ Chief Legislator___________________________________________ 12:40 Meets with the Vice President over lunch and to discuss plans for attending the funeral for a foreign leader _____ Chief Executive_______________________________________________ 2:00 Meets with the Attorney General to consider several possible appointments to the post of FBI Director _____ Chief Executive______________________________________________ 2:40 Meets with the governor of a state recently damaged by flooding to discuss federal relief measures _____ Chief Executive_______________________________________________ 3:40 Signs several bills and responds to letters by party leaders ______ Chief Legislator____________________________________________ 4:20 Meets with several labor leaders to discuss new bills on working conditions ______ Chief Legislator_____________________________________________ 5:20 Meets with Joint Chiefs of Staff to review the military situation overseas ______ Commander-In-Chief_________________________________________ 6:00 Dines with a group of people who may contribute large sums of money to his/her political party ______ Chief of Party______________________________________________ 7:30 Responds to 25 questions about domestic and foreign issues during a televised press conference ______ Chief Executive_____________________________________________ 8:30 Writes a report for Congress so they will approve his nomination for Supreme Court Justice _______ Chief Judiciary_____________________________________________ 9:30 Returns to the Oval Office to read a stack of reports, memos, and letters _________ Chief Executive___________________________________________ 11:00 Wearily climbs into bed Reflection Questions Complete in paragraph form on a separate sheet of paper 1. Which job of the President do you believe to be the most important? Which job is the least important? Why? Explain your reasoning The most important job of the President is subjective and can vary depending on the context and challenges facing the nation at a given time. However, arguably, the role of Chief Executive, responsible for enforcing laws and managing the vast bureaucracy of the Executive Department, is crucial for ensuring the proper functioning of the government and maintaining law and order. Without effective execution of laws, other roles such as Chief Diplomat, Chief Legislator, and Commander-In-Chief would be compromised. Conversely, the least important job could be seen as Chief of Party. While important for political maneuvering and party cohesion, it may be considered less vital than roles directly impacting national security, the economy, or the rule of law 2. Is the job of the President too big for one person? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning. Whether the job of the President is too big for one person is a matter of debate. On one hand, the President holds immense power and responsibility across various domains, from domestic policy to foreign affairs, which could be overwhelming for a single individual. The complexities of modern governance, coupled with the diverse challenges facing the nation, may indeed suggest that the job is too big for one person. However, the institutional framework of the presidency, with its system of checks and balances, the delegation of authority to cabinet members and advisors, and the support of a vast bureaucracy, helps mitigate the burden on the President. Additionally, the role of the President is not meant to be solitary but collaborative, relying on a team of experts and advisors to assist in decisionmaking. Therefore, while the job is undoubtedly demanding, the institutional structure surrounding the presidency helps distribute and manage the workload effectively, making it feasible for one person to fulfill the duties of the office